The invention relates to a game machine and a method for controlling the game machine. Particularly, the invention relates to a game machine which enables a beginner who has not mastered a special technique, such as a pinpoint stopping technique, to increase the number of acquirable game tokens by a technique for operating a game, as well as to a method for controlling the game machine.
An example of a related game machine will be described below with reference to a slot machine installed in an amusement arcade or a casino. A related slot machine has a predetermined number of spinning reels (e.g., three spinning reels) having various symbols printed thereon. The spinning reels, which are rotated by corresponding reel drive motors (e.g., stepping motors), are stopped at timings at which a player presses stop buttons corresponding to the respective spinning reels. When three symbols form a certain winning combination along at least one of the valid lines (i.e., winning lines) in the state of stopping the spinning reels, game tokens (tokens for payoff) corresponding to the winning combination are paid out or the right to play a bonus game is awarded to the player. A slot machine equipped with a liquid-crystal display has recently been available. When symbols that would form a small winning combination have been determined in advance through internal random selection or when symbols that would form a big bonus winning combination have been determined in advance through internal random selection, the result of determination is notified to the player by liquid-crystal presentation of story-like nature provided by the liquid-crystal display.
The related game machine provides liquid-crystal presentation of story-like nature by way of a liquid-crystal display. However, the presentation is a mere display of liquid-crystal screens from a predetermined story or a mere report of symbols that would form a small winning combination and have been determined in advance through internal random selection by a plurality of types of liquid-crystal presentations.